Horseradish has been found to be a great source to aid in digestive disorders. It gives a nice boost to the immune system by giving the liver more power to filter out substances that might be harmful. It is also low in fat and a good choice to include in your diet when you are trying to loose weight. This spicy little root also has some medicinal uses that you might not know about. So, lets look at why you should think about growing some horseradish in your Indiana garden and include it in your diet. Besides having benefits to our health, it is also just down right tasty when used with vegetables and meats.

Some Facts About This Spicy Root

Horseradish is a perennial plant in the same family as mustard, wasabi, broccoli, and cabbage. The root of the plant is what is commonly used.

It ranks well in nutritional value as it contains potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. The mustard oil in horseradish has antibacterial properties that actually can help in food preservation.

A favorite addition to many recipes around the world and as a condiment on sandwiches, particularly roast beef.

There are some diuretic properties in horseradish and the roots have been used to treat various minor health problems, including urinary tract infections, bronchitis, sinus congestion, ingrowing toenails and coughs. Compounds found in horseradish have been found to kill some bacterial strains. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends using this root when you are trying to lose weight due to it’s low fat and high flavor content.

Why Is It Called Horseradish?

If you are like me, you sometimes wonder why things are named what they are. In the case of our spicy little plant known to us as horseradish it is a little odd. Apparently the Germans called (and still do) this plant meerrettich. When the British discovered this plant they pronounced it “mare radish”. I am only going to assume that once it was brought across the big pond to America our reasoning was that a mare was a horse and somehow we decided we liked it referred to as horseradish. Who knows for sure, I’m just glad it was brought over and introduced to our gardens and our diets!

How do I grow this in my garden?

Actually it is a really easy plant to grow in an Indiana Garden. In fact, you have to be careful because if not watched this plant can take over a spot. Here is a video that tells you how to grow it:

Add horseradish to scrambled eggs, omelets, and hash browns to perk up your breakfast meals. It does not just have to be on a good steak.

You can actually get a plant now and start to grow it indoors during the winter months and then transplant it outdoors when the temperatures are warm enough for the plant to begin to thrive in a new environment. Just think, fresh horseradish to use now instead of later.

In a later post, I’ll give you some recipes to enjoy using horseradish that you have grown in your garden. How much fun is that?

If you have been following this blog, you know that a while back I started talking about Bees In The Garden and introduced you to some trees and shrubs that attract bees which are probably the most welcome of all wildlife visitors to our gardens. I promised to continue with other plants that you can have in your garden that promote the coming of the bees. I will concentrate on the Indiana flowers that bees love since that is what I am most familiar with. Remember the bees help pollinate your pretty flowers, fruit plants and vegetable plants so we want them to buzz around the garden with wanton abandon.

Today we will talk about the Indiana flowers that bees love to land on to get both nectar and pollen. They do need both for a balanced diet, if you remember and not all plants give both. Placing these plants in a sunny spot will work the best because the bees like the warmth of the sun. They do not care much for windy areas so keep that in mind, too. Oh, and another thing to keep in mind. Hybrid plants might be pretty with those blooms that are to die for but bees get no nourishment from them at all. Hybrids are bred to produce awesome blooms and in the process they loose the nectar and pollen that they would have naturally produced if they had been left alone. Now, don’t get me wrong I am not against those lovely plants, they just are not great for getting bees to your garden.

There are other flowers that will grow here in Indiana that also attract those precious bees but I did not include them on the list because they are difficult to find, at least in my local area. That is one of my pet peeves when it comes to shopping for plants or seeds. I’ll see this gorgeous plant in a magazine and I want it but find that it is not available. Well, then don’t temp me with it! I’m saving you the frustration by not even going there.

Another thing to remember is that bees can actually see color. The colors that they seem most attracted to are bright white, yellow and blue. That doesn’t mean they won’t go to a pink or red flower, they just like the other colors better.

In a later post we will talk about garden fruits and vegetables that bees love.

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